Backstabber in the Ranks
by Kippysaurus
Summary: The story of the rise and fall of Blackbeard, as told by Portgas D. Ace, Pro Hero Firefist. A MHA AU.


**Hey folks! This was done as an english homework sometime lat year, so don't judge it too badly!**

**Thanks to my beta reader Sonya06, who despite not being in the One Piece fandom has been so amazing and helpful! **

**One Piece doesn't belong to me. (Neither does MHA)**

Backstabber in the Ranks

_Fire is a mysterious thing. It burns, scars and kills, but can be put out by a small gust of wind. It destroys forests, but the ecosystem comes back more vibrant than before. It can start with lightning, and stop with a downpour. It can give heat, warmth and light but bring with it coldness, numbing and pain. This is where our story starts: a man with the power of flames._

Hey there! My name is Portgas D. Ace, though you probably know me better as the hero FireFist. Yup, you heard right. Hero. This is a society of superheroes (and villains), with about 60% of people possessing a strange trait, or 'quirk', which is awakened when they turn 7. You should ask Marco about these things though. Supposedly he was one of the first to awaken a quirk, but I don't believe that. He looks way too young and has denied it multiple times. Ah, I'm sidetracking, aren't I? Sorry.

Anyway, I'm part of the Whitebeard Hero Agency, the best in the country. The Agencies were formed because of a need to have an organised system of heroes, instead of all of us running amok. After all, if you have heroes, it's almost a given that there will be villains to oppose them. There are also search-and-rescue heroes who do, well, search-and-rescue missions. Ours was started by Whitebeard- it's Edward Newgate really, Whitebeard is his hero name- the current no. 1 hero, and I'm currently in charge of the second division- the elementalists. My quirk is fire manipulation, so hazard a guess at what the others in my division can do. The Agency is big enough that there are too many people to report to just one man, so we have the division system. People are split according to their quirks. But enough of the background info. Let's get onto the real tale- taking down big-time villain Blackbeard.  
Xxx

It was a cold, grey Tuesday when I stumbled into work to find a crime scene. Thatch, the 4th division commander (and control of power boosters - people with quirks who boost either their own, or other's power levels) was lying limply on the floor, a knife stuck ominously in his back.

"Guys! What happened here?" I yelled, my back subconsciously reverting into flames in anger. Why weren't we figuring out the killer? Or helping Thatch? "Marco, can you heal him? Or at least try?" Marco has a quirk called the phoenix, which allows him to heal people, but at cost to their own energy (or occasionally, life force). It also allows him to turn into a flaming bird, but again, I'm sidetracking.

"Ace, you have eyes. One of our own stabbed him, and not too long ago." Whitebeard said. The sparkle in his eye had been changed into an expression of rage and grief.

"If I were to try, it might kill him entirely -yoi," Marco said gravely. The yoi is a speech habit. He's trying to get rid of it (it's not working, he's been trying for years), "but perhaps if we called Chopper over, he could do something."

"I'll get right on it!" I ran out the side door into my office and pulled out my phone to call Chopper. He's a doctor in my kid brother's agency, one of the— if not the— best doctors in the world.

"Chopper, Chopper! Pick up!"

"Hey Ace, what's up?" A young voice sounded over the phone.

"Thatch's been stabbed! Please come quick! Marco can't heal him! Main building foyer, come quick!"

There was a yell and multiple disorganised crashes on the other end. Chopper then returned to the phone.  
"Hold him in place, try and keep his heartbeat stable. I'll be over as fast as I can." The phone call ended.

At the end, I heard a yell that sounded a lot like, "Sanji! Grab a car and drive! Drive!" If that was the case then at least Chopper was serious. I ran back into the foyer, phone still in hand.

"Chopper's on the way! He says to keep him stable!" There was a scramble as each member present (bar Marco and Whitebeard) went to do something to 'keep Thatch stable'. Most were knocked over by the nurses arriving and actually keeping Thatch stable.

"By the way, your phone is smoking -yoi," Marco noted calmly. I cursed, then ran to the sand bucket set up by my office and plunged my hand in. When I felt my phone was no longer about to fry any hand it came across, I resorted to mulling over various suspects to keep myself (mentally) active.

They most likely weren't here now, or had run out and back in again. Plus they knew their way around a knife. But who was it? My thoughts were interrupted by Chopper bursting through the door with Sanji at his heels.

"Where is he? Let me see!" He ran over to Thatch, "Okay. First thing's first, he's not dead-" a roar of cheers-" yet. His mind has shut down from pain. Anyone here got an anaesthetic I can use on him?" One of the nurses rummaged around in her bag and pulled out a mainly-complete anaesthetic kit.

Chopper assembled the parts he needed, "This should keep him from waking while I'm operating. It's a quick fix, bring him to the hospital as soon as you can after I'm finished, but with as little jostling as possible. The attack burst a lung, after all." Chopper then started.

We had to complete an entire day whilst not being allowed near the coffee machine as it was within Chopper's 'doctors only' area. Thankfully Sanji made food for us at lunch (his quirk allows him to manipulate taste), so that was made up for.

At about 3 pm, Chopper came back in, saying to get Thatch to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. Marco transformed and flew off, Thatch in his talons. It looked like the scene at the end of the first Hobbit movie, except the bird was a fiery blue and yellow phoenix. I settled down to continue mulling. So far I had quite a few suspects but no motives. Curiouser and curiouser...  
Xxx

Marco returned about an hour later, minus Thatch and was immediately swarmed by the nervous residents of the Whitebeard Agency.

"Oi, stop it -yoi! Thatch is fine, he's hooked up to the life-support system. I need sleep right now, give me some space," Marco did look shattered. He was immediately given a wide berth; a tired Marco is a snappy Marco, and no-one likes a snappy Marco. While that was going on, I walked over to the towering figure that was Whitebeard.

"Pops?"

"Yes, son?" Did I mention this earlier? Whitebeard runs his agency like a family, and calls us all his sons. Uurgh, more sidetracking…

"I compiled a list of people that were around when Thatch was stabbed. Most have alibis, but there were a few who didn't. I have been asking them, but there was one person I haven't seen yet today. Chopper's report says Thatch was stabbed around 4 or 5 this morning. I got here at 7. Carly, Jason and Mike haven't been in yet today, but they were seen leaving at 3:50 by CCTV. That only leaves Teach and Ciara who were around. Ciara's called in sick with an apology, but I haven't seen Teach yet and he hasn't given a reason. I think it was him who stabbed Thatch, his quirk could get him past security cameras. I could be wrong though," I wrung my hands together. If this was done by Teach, why? He'd been part of my division for longer than I had!

"This is disturbing news, son. We must be sure though before we accuse one of our own. Once Marco is in a good enough state not to kill me when I break the news, we're having a commander's meeting." I laughed. The 14-foot-tall man running from his own deputy was an amusing thought. Honestly it was like Marco ran the place instead of him.

"See you tomorrow, son. Try not to set fire to anything," Whitebeard said as I left, still chuckling at my mental image.  
Xxx

The next day, the media was swarming the front of the building. It honestly seemed as if all the media in the country had come to the front of our building. So naturally, I went through the back entrance. Arriving into the foyer, I made a quick scan for any large, black-haired, laughing men. There weren't any. Teach still wasn't around.

Groaning internally, I went to check on Striker, my bike. Even if we had an attempted murder case, the Whitebeard Agency never stops working, and I needed her in top condition. After about an hour engrossed in cleaning every part of Striker I could, I was rudely interrupted by a sharp pain on my head. I turned to see the 8th Division commander, Namur.

"What was that for?"

"Pops is holding a commander's meeting in the main office. See you there in 5," he said, before strolling off. I sighed, before putting down the cloth I was using and heading to the main office. Hopefully Marco had regained his composure, if not... I involuntarily shivered and created a protective coating around myself. I would prefer not thinking about it.  
Xxx

When I entered the office, everyone- bar Thatch, for obvious reasons- was already seated around the long, oak table.

"Now all of my sons are here, we can begin. First problem: who did it and where are they? Ace, if you will," Whitebeard started. I stood up with my full report, passed it to Marco (who sighed heavily) and began.

"Right. Yesterday after I found out Thatch had been stabbed, I went searching through CCTV footage and records for people who were around at the time of death, which was, as you know, around 4 or 5 AM yesterday. My search brought up something very interesting. Yesterday morning we had less than 20 people in between those hours- a severe understaffing. This means that either over 30 individuals were too lazy to come in, or they were bribed. Of the people with no realistic alibis, Ciara has called in sick, plus Allan has stated she did look under the weather yesterday and went to check on her. That leaves only Teach D. Marshall with no alibi, plus I haven't seen him for the last two days. I haven't figured out a motive as of yet, but it could be that Thatch was the closest commander nearby. Teach was in my division, therefore I will take priority of catching him and bringing him to justice." I was interrupted by simultaneous snorts of amusement from all the commanders, and Whitebeard himself.

Marco spoke up for the laughing commanders, a malicious smirk now plastered on his face. I shuddered. Marco is scary,"Don't be an idiot -yoi. We're helping here. And trust me, when we find him, it won't be pretty."

**So, what do you think?**

**I don't really have much planned for this, but if someone has some ideas for it, feel free to PM me about them!**

**(Yes i know it's march, but it could just be the 30th of february)**

**Reviews, follows and favourites always appreciated!**


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